Flooded Hardwood Flooring...What To Do?

[Jimmyd]

My hardwood flooring got flooded overnight on Thursday night. The hardwood covers about half the floor of my small condo--perhaps 10 square meters of hardwood.

Where the boards butt up against each other there is still moisture a couple days later, but there has been no separation of the side by side wood. There is still a strong smell of mold in the place, and I'm afraid it might be from below the wood and just letting it dry would not be a good idea.

By the way, the flooding was caused by a small contractor who was renovating my bathroom at the time. He's just letting it dry out, and he also suggested he would tile the area instead (as the rest of the floor in the condo is tiled) if I wanted.

Does anyone have any experience in such a situation? Will allowing the flooring to dry be ok, or does it need to be pulled up and worked on?

Thanks in advance for any help.

[froggshw]

how long was the floor flooded for...and was it completely submerged..?

[Jimmyd]

I wasn't there, so I'm not sure, but I'd guess about 8 hours and pretty much submerged.

[necronx99]

I would open it up and either fan or naturally dry it.

[Jimmyd]

Is "opening it up" a difficult thing? I obviously am not terribly impressed with this contractor.

[Morakot]

You might have to apply some oil once it's dried.

he also suggested he would tile the area instead

Like the other day, someone stepped onto my foot and then suggested: I shouldn't wear fine leather shoes but some steel-toe cap boots. I wasn't impressed.

Edited August 17, 2012 by Morakot

[Jimmyd]

Like the other day, someone stepped onto my foot and then suggested: I shouldn't wear fine leather shoes but some steel-toe cap boots. I wasn't impressed.

[David006]

.if there is no expansion "buckling/lifting"..just let it dry ..if you have aircon leave it on..then observe.

Usually hardwood Tongue & Grooved floors are glued and maybe angle nailed ( parquet is probably just glued) . If it was well sealed with varnish or.. probably no problem...can always get it refinished ( sanded and varnished) if major staining is offensive...good luck

[Jimmyd]

Thanks.

[VocalNeal]

We had some parquet type flooring that was flooded, it buckled and lifted. If yours has not I would leave the A/C on 24 hours, for a few days to dry it out. Mold is a living thing so if there was no mold there before and no spores in the water you will be OK.

[jaapfries]

@VocalNeal hit the nail on the head, when he suggested to leave the A/C running. Many people don't realize that A/C has a very strong De-Humidifying effect. This is precisely what you should do, in this case !

I don;t know where about you are, in Thailand, but if it was anywhere near Pattaya, I would be happy to lend you my little "de-humidifyer"; it takes about 1.2 liters of water out of the air in my 6 x 6 m. office 9and that is WITH the a/c running as well).

If there's an unpleasant odour in your room, go get some packets of "Anti-Wrinkle" sheets from your supermarket and just lay them here & there under some furniture; you'll be amazed at the quick results here !

You'll be right, mate !

[lopburi3]

"Anti-Wrinkle" sheets? From the supermarket guess this must be normal dryer softener sheets (and not very common in Thai supermarkets)?

Or will is also make us look 30 years younger?